Marination of meats is commonly practiced in the industry. The primary objective of marinating meat is to produce a product that is tender and moist when cooked. However, the major problems with marinated meat is its inability to retain water, which results in a pooling of marinade in the package of raw meat in the retail case, and high cook losses, which result in a cooked product that is tough and dry. To counter these problems, meat processors use several different ingredients in marinade to enhance retention of the marinade in the meat, the most important of which are salt and phosphate, and extenders such as starches, flour, maltodextrin, soy protein and whey or milk proteins.
A recent trend in the food industry is the omission on food labels of chemically descriptive words in the list of declared ingredients and non-meat binders. Terms such as phosphate, lactate, citrate, and acetate connotes manufactured chemical compounds, and starch, flour, soy protein, and dairy proteins connotes dilution of meat with low-cost ingredients. In addition, the latest ruling by FDA on allergens requires the listing on the label of allergens such as wheat flour, peanut, soy, and dairy products. Thus, meat processors have been removing ingredients that may not be considered “consumer friendly” and substituting ingredients that can be considered natural as defined by the USDA/FSIS. Ideally, processors would like to have an “all natural” claim on the product label.
A number of USDA/FSIS approved compounds are now used in meat marinades to improve marinade retention, flavor, and antimicrobial effects. Compounds that are listed in Amendment 3 of FSIS directive 7120.1 as “safe and suitable for use in meats and poultry include: salt, phosphate, sodium lactate, sodium diacetate, citric acid, and sodium bicarbonate. Grapefruit and lemon extracts are also listed, but extracts as defined in the regulations are solvent (ethanol) extracted components of lemon or grapefruit used primarily to impart the citrus flavor.
Citric acid is the predominant acid in citrus juices and is present at a high concentration in lemon juice. When lemon juice is added to meats, it may be declared on the label as lemon juice. Citric acid is also produced by fermentation of sugars or starches by a mold. When produced by fermentation, citric acid must be declared as citric acid in the label. Acetic acid is the acid in vinegar, but since vinegar is a common ingredient used widely in domestic cookery, vinegar can be listed on the label as “vinegar” modified by source, e.g. “distilled white vinegar” or “apple cider vinegar,” rather than the chemical name, acetic acid.
The pH of a marinade, which is a measure of its acidity, depends on the type and concentration of ingredients in the formula. It is important that the pH of meat after marination be in the range of 5.8 to 6.2. When meat pH drops below 5.8, it loses its water holding capacity, absorption of marinade is minimal, and liquid is released during refrigerated storage and/or cooking. When meat pH after marination is higher than 6.0, meat retains water very well, and, therefore, added marinades are absorbed by the meat and retained in the meat through storage and cooking. However, when pH is higher than 6.2 an alkali-like taste may be perceived on the tongue and the lining of the mouth. In addition, the meat pigments become more stable to heat, the bloody red color persists even when the meat temperature exceeds the cooking end point temperature of 165° F. when the meat is considered well done. Thus a successful marinade must not allow the marinated meat pH to be outside the pH range between 5.8 and 6.2.
Thus there is a need for marinades for raw meat that contain natural ingredients and which achieve a pH of the marinated meat in the range of from about 5.8 to about 6.2.